So here's something you may or may not already know about me and my journey with Diffuse Retail... the store has not been the only baby I've been growing over the last few months. In fact there was a huge amount of (not necessarily planned!) overlap with launching Diffuse Retail and the pregnancy for my second child. In fact the day I picked up the keys to the store, I also had my successful and incredible 12 week scan - to say I was a little emotional that morning is probably an understatement.
With this being my second pregnancy, I entered it feeling a lot more confident in terms of what to expect was to come and even better, I had patted myself on the back for holding on to all baby and pregnancy necessary items from the first time around - including all of my maternity clothes. So I was set right?! Wrong.
First of all, this pregnancy was at a totally different time of the year, so most of my clothes weren't seasonably suitable. This then made me realise how I actually shopped in a mostly panicked method for my first pregnancy, and didn't create a wardrobe I could fall back on, that I felt suited my style and my soon to be changing body. And on top of that, with this being my second pregnancy, I found I was having to dress for a 'bump' much sooner than before - meaning an even greater need for clothes which would work for a longer period, this time around.
To add insult to injury, I'm not sure I felt I knew where to start, to make better decisions on how to shop smarter and more sustainably for maternity clothing this time around either. Odds of finding maternity wear in an actual physical store to try on are slim to none and if you do, it tends to restrict pregnant ladies to dimly lit corners of the store, which makes what tends to be an already fairly dull, dowdy, drab range of clothes, look even worse! And then shopping online felt like a minefield of so much choice, all modelled on women who's bumps seemed perfectly shaped and poised. The icing on the cake? I just really struggled with the concept of spending even more money on clothes I knew had an incredibly limited shelf life; especially at a time when I know my money will need to be going in to things like so many nappies, costs of play group after play group, upcoming nursery fees etc etc.
The more I thought about this, the more I hoped I couldn't be the only mum-to-be having these feelings. And this is where I came to the conclusion that rental plays another fantastic role to all pregnant women out there.
No I'm not necessarily saying that rental is the solution for your full maternity wardrobe, as there are always going to be the leggings, jeans, t-shirts etc, that you get so much wear out of they become like another child to you. But instead, that rental can be a fantastic friend during this journey - there to pick you up when you feel stuck in a style rut and be your plus one when you are invited to your friend's birthday party or to that wedding you'll be attending sober or even to your own baby shower - a time where the attention will be completely on you and that bump of yours, but you're unsure of how to ask if you can turn up in your PJs (or that you even want to).
So if I can give any advice to other pregnant women out there, in a similar maternity styling dilemma as me. I'd say, build a great, reliable and stylish capsule wardrobe of the necessities that you can wear most days, to most events, in most weather types. Think layers, thinks neutrals, think comfy! And don't go crazy, you don't have to buy lots and if you can buy second hand, even better. Then when you're looking for that something to change it up or be event suitable or just make you feel a little special, then why not rent?! It doesn't even have to be maternity wear specific, that's the beauty of rental; you can try styles you wouldn't usually but that might suit you better with a bump, or you can size up in your rentals, knowing you get to give it back.
I mean it seems so obvious, I'm a little jealous I didn't work this out myself earlier. So learn from my mistakes and join the #rentalrevolution and make your #maternitywear journey far more flexible, enjoyable, cost effective and sustainable than mine.
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